The present invention relates in general to semiconductor devices and, more particularly, to integrated circuits that include protection circuitry to detect fault conditions that occur in the integrated circuits.
Many electronic systems utilize integrated circuits that include fault protection circuits that detect and correct fault conditions of the integrated circuits in order to avoid component damage. For example, some integrated voltage regulators include thermal shutdown, overvoltage protection and/or current limiting circuits to prevent damage to the regulator when operated outside of its specified operating range. Fault protection circuitry monitors an operating condition of the integrated circuit and, if a fault condition is detected, produces a control signal that can be used to initiate corrective action such as shutting down the integrated circuit or reducing its current.
Previous fault protection circuits have a disadvantage in that they consume a relatively high current. Therefore, some battery operated systems such as cellular telephones or digital cameras, where a long period between battery recharging or replacement is essential, often do not include fault protection circuits in their integrated circuits. As a consequence, these systems are less reliable than systems that use such fault protection circuits.
Hence, there is a need for an integrated circuit that operates at a low current level and which includes low current protection circuitry to avoid damaging the integrated circuit.